Winter Melody
by LovelyJB
Summary: Widowed by the war, Sharpay desperately tried to restart her life for her son Tom, but in her attempts she soon realizes one mistake can cost her the one piece of happiness left in her life. With Troy’s help, it's a frantic race against time to save Tom.
1. New York, New York

**This, obviously, is the second story of my series: Winter. It's actually less of a heart-wrenching romance, but more of an Action/Adventure.**

**For the full summaries of the stories, go to my profile (at the very bottom). :) They're all going to be HSM, and I'm planning a few spin-offs too.**

**Happy readings.**

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He was on top of the world.

Troy Bolton did it. After years and years of hassling from his parents, he survived high school and was on his way to his dream job.

It was funny, because Troy never realized this was the kind of job he'd end up with. Neither could his friends.

He was the captain of the high school basketball team, top of the class and making headlines that he might actually play in the leagues someday. His father would push him to breaking point every time one of the Scouts from an Ivy League college would come, and let's just say they were never unimpressed. He was praised by the teachers and looked up at by the younger students, having the perfect status along with a beautiful girlfriend and a great life.

However, Troy began to reconsider the choices for his future in his final year. He became interested in writing, not just boring essays that made even the teachers fall asleep, but extraordinary works that were full of perfectly summarized pieces with accurate details. They were enough to throw anybody off their seat in alarm and astonishment as they read the major headlines.

His teachers persuaded him to look into journalism, and they voiced their opinions that he would have a bright future in the career if he proceeds with his work. Troy considered and considered and considered… until by the time he sat for the final exam of his school life, he went with it.

Amazingly, his life took a dramatic turn immediately after graduation. Employers all over the country made him gigantic offers to work for them, to write stories or even to report new programs. From Seattle to Maine, Troy was wanted by everyone. It was a dream come true.

He took the offers that were most convenient for him at the time, but as the years passed, his parents urged him to take a chance and shoot for the moon, saying staying in his home state would only limit the boundaries of his dream.

So Troy took their advice, and after almost 12 years of being a successful journalist, he was heading to New York were he would be hired by one of the biggest companies in the country.

"_Passengers on Flight 429, your aircraft is now boarding_," a cool female voice said through the airport speakers. Troy sighed to himself and pulled his suitcase behind him as he followed the line into the airplane, waving goodbye to his crying mother and father. He smiled at them, suddenly feeling sad and wanting to stay a little longer, but the crowd piled up and Troy was pushed inside.

He let out a puff and collapsed onto his seat in First Class. It was very cold, so Troy immediately ripped open a blanket and wrapped it around himself. Sweeping a hand through his sandy brown hair, he smiled to himself as the grumpy faces of the Coach people slowly disappeared down the aisle. He sat back and pulled out a magazine as a stewardess poured him a glass of champagne.

"Thanks," he said gratefully. The stewardess beamed and then asked for his autograph, for which he gallantly gave her. She went back behind the counter where she thought Troy couldn't see her, and started bickering excitedly to her friends about her meeting with the great Troy Bolton. Troy merely smiled to himself and went back to his magazine. A few minutes later, the captain announced take-off, and before he knew it, they were in the air.

It had been a long time, Troy thought to himself. 12 years. Life had moved on. He watched as his friends grew up and got married, moving away and starting families. It was a weird feeling being so far away from home, but Troy knew he must follow his heart.

But he was lucky too; he wouldn't be alone in big New York City. An old friend from school had moved there a few years ago, and she had already expressed her happiness that he was coming. She already told him of all the wonderful things of New York, and she had already prepared for him to live in the house just down the street from hers.

Now, Sharpay Evans hadn't always been one of Troy's closest friend. As a matter of fact, they used to hate each other. She was always the snobbish rich girl who would get her way no matter what, even if it were to cost the entire school misery. She and her fraternal twin Ryan, would reign the school yards and turn heads just by making their dramatic entrances to the room. Troy smiled to himself and stared out at the dark night sky, shivering a little.

Ah, poor Ryan. Always being bullied and forced to comply with the evil Ice Queen's orders. Troy knew the twins loved each other, but it was uncomfortable watching Sharpay constantly walk over Ryan like he was a doormat.

He hadn't seen either of the twins since the Summer of their graduation, and now it was 12 years later in Winter. He knew they had both changed, and the story behind it was just as interesting.

Troy had always known the Evans family to be extremely rich, but it seems Ryan was the only one still living the good life. Sharpay had been exiled into the world of downtown New York, making her own life and making her own living. Troy didn't know the full story, but he was pretty sure it was because Sharpay married some guy that her parents didn't approve of, and for that she was disowned and her title of heiress was taken away. She was happy, though, living her newly found life, and from what Troy heard, she didn't seem to care for the riches and had no intention of pursuing it ever again. That changed Troy's opinion of her drastically, and he was touched that she was welcoming him.

The hours passed, and Troy eventually fell asleep. When he woke up again, it was morning. The windows were open, but instead of the usual orange sunlight of dawn seeping in, it was only barely light. Troy shivered again and leaned at the window to see, and to his astonishment he realized it was snowing. It was snowing quite heavily too.

The plane landed smoothly at the runaway, and the flight attendants motioned the passengers to the exit, into the airport where they'd collect their baggage. Troy pulled on a thick sweater as he made his way to the gates, a smile spreading across his face as he saw Sharpay jumping up and down and waving her arms at him. Behind her, he saw a man who seemed a few years older than he was, with a young boy sitting on his shoulder holding up a sign saying WELCOME TROY. Sharpay ran over to hug him.

"It's so good to see you again," she said. Her voice was softer, richer, no doubt marriage had softened her for the better. Troy pulled apart and examined her.

She looked just as beautiful as she did as the Ice Queen. Her blonde hair was shoulder-length and looked good even though it clearly didn't look like she had been styling it for hours. She was wearing more modest clothes than Troy remembered, but he figured she probably didn't wear any of her expensive fashion labels as she used to anymore. She kissed both his cheeks and then turned around to introduce Troy to her husband.

He was a friendly looking man, with handsome features, dark hair and hazel eyes. He was slightly more built and taller than Troy was, with a very strong and fit posture, yet he seemed to be so gentle with the little boy in his arms. Troy could tell how Sharpay ended up falling for him.

"Troy, this is my husband, Jason Bennett," Sharpay said proudly. "I've been telling him all about you." Jason smiled and shook his hand.

"It's great to meet you," he said. Sharpay beamed and bent down at the little boy holding the sign.

"And this is my son, Tom," she said. "It was his idea to make you the sign." Troy's eyes widened as he looked over at Tom.

"Your son?" he gasped with disbelief. "Wow… It's great to meet you too, Tom." Tom smiled.

He looked merely five years old, with bright hazel eyes and blonde hair, no doubt inheriting them from his parents. Troy felt a certain vibe from looking at the child, the same kind of vibe he used to get whenever he was around Ryan. In fact, Tom was almost like a miniature version of Ryan. Troy could see the mischief in his eyes, even though he looked innocent and sweet. Troy couldn't help but feel a strong rush of affection towards him. He kneeled down and tousled his hand through the child's hair.

"You made this for me?" he asked, taking the sign. Tom laughed and nodded.

"Mommy's been telling me stories about you," he squeaked. "About how you can play ball really good." Troy raised an eyebrow at Sharpay, who just shrugged.

"He's a fan of basketball," she chuckled. The waiting room was getting crowded, so the group decided it was best to get out of the way. Jason came around and helped Troy with one of his suitcases as Tom began asking questions to Troy, affectionately calling him _Uncle Troy_.

"So, are you Mommy's friend, Uncle Troy?" he asked, his wide hazel eyes sparkling with curiosity. Troy chuckled.

"I was your Mom's friend a long time ago."

"Do you still play basketball, Uncle Troy?"

"Well… I haven't been playing for a long time."

"Can you teach me how to play, Uncle Troy?"

"Sure, kiddo."

"Are you gonna stay at my house, Uncle Troy?"

"Nope, but I'll be right next door if you need me."

Sharpay laughed.

"I think we should let Uncle Troy breathe for a little bit, sweetie," she said, holding his hand. She pulled his hood over his head and adjusted it warmly as they stepped outside into the snow. Troy felt almost breathless at the view.

December had only begun, but Christmas lights were everywhere. There wasn't much snow yet, but it was definitely enough to make Troy get that wonderful feeling, like it was the happiest time of year. It never snowed this much back home, and at that very moment, Troy never even remembered to feel homesick at all. Sharpay grinned as she watched him.

"Welcome to New York," she muttered. All Troy could do was let out a chuckle of disbelief. He was probably standing there like an idiot, just staring, when he felt Tom tug at his sleeve, urging him to cross the road with him. Tom held tightly onto his hand as they crossed the road, and Troy knew Sharpay must have taught him well. Jason led them to the car in the parking lot and heaved the suitcases one by one into the huge trunk.

"So, are you hungry, Troy?" he asked as they all got into the car. "I hear you haven't had real food in months." Troy was given the honour of sitting in the passenger seat. He laughed as he buckled up.

"Really?" he said. "Where'd you hear that?" Jason started the engine, smiling at Sharpay and Tom in the back through the mirror.

"You're famous," he replied. "On the news, you're the star journalist who made it big from New Mexico. I heard you've been traveling all over the place, and only now you've decided to settle down with a solid job in New York."

"Well… yeah." Troy blushed. It felt weird talking about his career. Sharpay laughed and leaned up forward to the two men.

"There's no need to be modest, Troy," she said. "You have the right to be proud." She reached up and pinched his cheek playfully. "But you need some meat on those bones, though." Troy laughed again and pushed her hand away.

"Oh, it's not that bad, you know. The airplane food's growing on me." Jason stopped at a red light and grinned over at his friend.

"Well," he said, glancing back at Sharpay. "Once Laura introduces you back to her human food, I'm sure you won't ever think of going back." Troy's eyebrows furrowed, looking between the husband and wife.

"Laura?" he repeated, confused.

It was a long trip home, and during that time Troy learned alot. He learned that the whole time he had known Sharpay, her birth name was actually _Laura Evans_, and that _Sharpay _was just a nickname her parents gave her as a child. Things had become rocky between the family members, so Sharpay adopted the new identity after she married Jason, as Laura. She now used her new name for everything.

Troy was relieved, however, when she told him he could still call her Sharpay for old time's sake.

He also learned alot about Jason too. He was brought up in a humble family, and he worked as a highly-respected commander in the US Army. It seemed that Sharpay's family had told her that if she were to marry a man of such low class, they would not give her the time of day, threatening to cut off all her connections. But it didn't seem to matter to Sharpay at all, so she walked out of the Evans life and started her own as a Bennett. She confessed Tom had only ever met his grandparents twice, and Ryan was the only other family member she had regular contact with.

As the car pulled into a small neighbourhood, Troy let out an awed gasp at the sight. Every house already had their Christmas lights hung out. It was beautiful. They arrived at a homely looking place that Troy bet his life was the Bennett house. He glanced at the house next door, and smiled to himself.

It was quite a big house. Two storeys high, with a front yard and a car port. Troy didn't have a car yet, but he couldn't wait to start his brand new life in New York City. Jason helped him carry his luggage over to the front yard as Sharpay and Tom followed.

"We'll let you clean up," Sharpay said. She gave him another hug. "When you're ready, come over for dinner, okay?" Troy couldn't help but smiled gratefully.

"That'd be great," he said. "Thanks." The Bennetts all beamed, and while waving goodbye, they retreated back to their house next door. Troy took a deep breath and turned around to his house. He turned the handle and opened the door, stepping inside nervously.

It was expectedly cold, but Troy was far too excited to even care. He sighed as he flicked on the lights, illuminating the bright white walls of his brand new house. Troy went over to the window, drawing back the huge velvet curtain to reveal the clear glass. It was pitch black outside now, and Troy could see the brightly-coloured lights standing out like stars in the night sky. Troy smiled again.

He was home.

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**Next: Troy enjoys his new life, growing closer to the Bennetts as they get ready for the Winter holidays…**


	2. Do They Know It's Christmas Time

**Damn it, I forgot there was already a character named Jason in HSM. Well, just to reassure you that this Jason is NOT the one in HSM. If I could go back, I'd name him "James", but I guess it's too late now. lol**

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The city of New York quickly grew frosty and cold as they entered into winter.

Troy didn't mind. He had alot more of the good things to outweigh the bad.

For instance, he was welcomed with a party at his new workplace. Alot of people seemed to know him already from his previous works, so he was showered with praise and admiration. His office was big and roomy, and he was assigned a very attractive and sweet secretary. He had the perfect view from his window three storeys up, being able to see New York City turn whiter and whiter as the delicate snowflakes fell, and more and more animated as everybody got ready for Christmas.

Children playing in the snow, their mothers yelling at them to put on their mittens, lights, colours, carols and laughter. This truly was the happiest time of the year.

Troy had no trouble settling in at his new home either. His neighbours wouldn't have it any other way. He wasn't allowed to sleep in past 9 on the weekends; there would be a pounding at the door and he'd wake up to find Sharpay and Tom outside with an invitation to lunch and dinner.

"Just to make sure you don't starve yourself in the holidays," Sharpay would say through the side of her mouth. Troy never complained.

After one week at work, he noticed many people were staying home. The weather was always a good excuse to play hooky, but he was determined to make a good impression. Despite the trouble of trying to get his car started in the morning, the frustration of sitting there in the cold as well as the same old Christmas songs playing over and over again on every single radio station…

He was on the brink of catching pneumonia when at last his secretary admitted he deserved a day off, and that journalists were actually allowed to stay home and write their articles anyway. So taking her advice, on Wednesday afternoon, Troy decided he'd call in and stay home and do his work instead.

It was about 2pm. Besides occasional cracking of the electric heater, it was so quiet that the clock's ticking seemed to echo throughout the entire house. Troy twirled the pencil between his fingers and fiddled with his glasses as he stared at the blank page in front of him. He leaned back on his chair, hoisting his feet on the table. Still nothing. Troy threw down his pencil onto the table, irritated.

"_Structural functionalism of equilateral institutionalized human sociology and neurosis_," he said out loud. Troy cringed and shook his head, buckling his chair back on all fours. He stared back down at the blank page. "What does that even _mean_?" He laughed to himself.

An idea, an idea… He could never get an idea on what to write when everything was this boring. Back in Albuquerque, the whole goddamn highway was right outside his apartment, and even though he hated it, it helped him think. Here… if he was lucky there'd be a heavy snowflake.

Troy sighed and got up from his chair to the window. He pushed the curtain back for a glimpse.

It was snowing heavily, _very heavily_. In fact, his car looked half buried out there. He shivered a little; it never snowed this much back home.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Troy glanced over at it, just staring for about a minute until he realized he had to answer it. He quickly went to the door and pulled it open, the instant sting of cold whipping into his face. He flinched as a few snowflakes blew into the house.

The visitor, on the other hand, looked extremely snug in a snow coat and a thick-looking scarf.

"Hey, neighbour!" came Jason's voice from under the covers. Troy took off his glasses, squinting a little.

"Jason," he said breathlessly. The cold air was harder to take in than the warm. "Come on in." He stepped aside as Jason came inside, dusting off some snow off his shoulders.

"Got a favour to ask," he said as Troy closed the door. "Are you busy?" Troy smiled softly to himself as he glanced over at the blank notepad on the table.

"Nope," he said cheerily, thrusting his hands into his pockets. "What do you need?"

"I'm gonna have to pick up Tom from kindergarten in an hour," Jason said matter-of-factly. "And Laura just called from work to tell me to get a Christmas tree home before then." Troy managed to reduce his reaction to just raising his eyebrows.

"A… a tree?" he repeated. "A real tree?" Jason nodded enthusiastically.

"It's tradition, isn't it?" he laughed.

"Yeah, I guess," Troy replied, scratching his head. "But wouldn't plastic be a lot easier?"

Plastic. Plastic was plastic. Plastic when you bought it, plastic till you put it back up in the attic. It would always look green and healthy without the chopping and the splinters and the dragging, and it could be reused for who knows how many times. Plastic was always a bachelor's first and only choice.

"That's what I told my wife," Jason replied with a shake of his head. He laughed again. "But Laura's a complete nut. She's everything by the book." He glanced out the window suspiciously before leaning close to Troy, his voice lowering to a whisper. "At Thanksgiving, she brought home a live turkey." Troy bit into his lip to stop himself from laughing at the thought of Sharpay wrestling a turkey.

"I don't think I want to think about what happens at Easter," he remarked, a little awkwardly. A horrible image of the house being surrounded by red-eyed rabbits filled his mind.

"Not if you have an irrational fear of bunnies, no," Jason said. They shared a laugh. Troy went over to get his coat.

"I guess you'll need someone to help you carry the tree, won't you?" he said. Jason merely shrugged, holding out his hands in defense.

"Alright," he said. "But you said it, okay? If my wife asks, I'm showing you the sights of New York City." Troy laughed again as they headed out the door. Jason placed a hand on his shoulder. "Laura would kill me if she knew I was forcing her old friend into manual labour." He playfully pulled Troy's hood down over his eyes and ran at a head start to the car. By the time Troy pulled the hood off, Jason was already safe in the car. Troy just shook his head and chuckled.

The snow was ankle-deep, it was a miracle Jason got to the car so fast. Troy stepped in and pulled his legs out repeatedly until he reached the car door, which seemed to be frozen shut until Jason opened it from the inside for him. Once Troy collapsed onto the passenger seat, all the doors and windows slammed shut and the central heating was turned on at full blast. Including the ones inside the seats.

Jason popped in a CD of his favourite music, which interestingly varied from Katie Melua to Coldplay to Josh Groban to even a track from High School Musical 2 ("Don't ask," Jason said.). Troy was too in awe at the view from his window to even complain as Jason kept flicking on the Repeat button.

He had to admit, it was still just early December and the city looked like a winter wonderland. Curtains of snow coming down, the road leading away from the city into the valley. Away from the colours of the Christmas decorations and towards the beauty of nature. Troy grew excited; he could see seas of green, pine green, and he spotted a few reindeer roaming around inside the gates. The car slowed down and Jason slammed down the brakes.

"We're here," he announced. He pulled a beanie from under his coat and slipped it on. He put on a pair of gloves and handed Troy a pair. "Brace yourself. It's gonna be cold out there." He turned off the engine, took a deep breath and stepped outside. Troy followed.

Unfortunately, 'cold' was an understatement. It was beyond _freezing_. Troy quickly regretted jumping out with just a single jacket while Jason was wrapped up in a dozen layers. He tried to cover every inch of skin possible, but the wind didn't seem to help. They made their way through the snow to the gate where a jolly-looking man was standing.

"Jason!" he exclaimed. He held out his arms as if to hug him, but he laughed it off.

"Hey, Bob," Jason said. He glanced at Troy. "Troy, this is Bob, the local Christmas tree man." He looked over at Bob. "This is Troy. Laura's friend from high school. He just moved here from Albuquerque." Bob shook Troy's hand, nodding.

"Great to meet you," he said merrily. "I hope you're settling in all right in New York?" Troy laughed.

"Yes," he replied. "It's quite different." Bob laughed heartily and turned back to Jason. He put his arm around him and started leading him towards a few pine trees on display. Troy began wandering around.

"So, what kind of Christmas are you planning this year?" Bob asked casually. "It all depends on the tree, you know." Jason chuckled.

"I think any tree will do," he said, looking around. He smiled sadly. "Any kind of Christmas will do." Bob knew what he meant.

"Your first Christmas back in three years, huh?" Jason nodded, but said nothing. Bob sighed. "Well, that's what you have to give up when you're in the Army." He quickly took this opportunity to change the topic. Bob released Jason and went over to an enormous yet healthy-looking tree. Troy caught up with them, and the two younger men stared blankly ahead.

"Here's the one!" Bob said happily. Troy's jaw dropped.

"But… that's, like, 8 feet tall!" he said in disbelief. He had to lift up his head to see the top. He quickly looked over at Jason. "Is that even going to fit through your front door?!" Jason shrugged.

Whether or not it did, Bob seemed to be clear that this was the one for them. Looking around, Troy and Jason couldn't really find any tree that was any shorter either, so they might as well save their breath for a warmer atmosphere.

After choosing the tree, Bob wasn't really of any help anymore. As soon as Jason paid him, he gave the men some rope and then sat aside, saying any heavy lifting would be bad for his back. So… Jason took the end with all the spiky pine leaves, while Troy took the hard wooden end that was covered in splinters and moss. It took a good fifteen minutes to carry it out and another just loading it on top of the car. The rope wasn't much help, but at least it kept it up there in one piece.

They drove back home, unloaded the tree into the house, cleaned up the mess of getting it inside, and set it up hastily by the fireplace. Jason barely brushed the first layer of splinters when he realized it was almost time to pick up Tom.

"I'll drive you if you want," Troy suggested. He noticed Jason seemed tired.

"Really?" Jason's face lit up. "Thanks, but I have to warn you, you're not getting a rest when we get home either." Troy laughed and they headed to the car again.

With Jason guiding him, they soon arrived at the frosty gates of a Gothic-looking school. Troy was instructed to park a few feet away so there wouldn't be any chances of running over anybody as the kids stampeded out. The pavement was completely white with snow, the footprints digging deep. Jason got out of the car first, looking through the crowd of children. He ran across the road toward the gate, looking both way, stepping onto the footpath.

"Papa!"

Tom's small voice rang out from the school door, and the little boy came running out, backpack and all, towards his father. Jason grinned and held up his arms, lifting him off the ground in a hug. Troy smiled to himself as he watched from the car. Jason put Tom back down, took his hand and they both walked to the car. Tom beamed as he saw Troy.

"Hi, Uncle Troy!" he said brightly. Troy smiled again.

"Hey, Tom," he said. "Did you have fun at school?" Tom nodded enthusiastically as Jason helped him into the car.

"Tell Uncle Troy what you did today, sport," Jason urged. Tom opened up his backpack and pulled out a colourful piece of cardboard, all decorated with glitter and crayon drawings, with a big '_HAPPI CRISSMAS_' written at the front. He held it out to Troy, grinning sweetly.

"We drew Christmas cards for everybody today," he piped. "And I drew one for you, and Papa, and Mommy as well." Jason buckled up Tom's seatbelt as Troy took the card. He stared down at it, truly touched.

"Thank you," he said, tucking the card safely into his pocket. "I'll put it somewhere where I can always see it." Tom grinned again. Jason stood up straight and closed the car door, going over to his own seat as Troy returned to the wheel. It began snowing again just as they drove off, but Troy realized they weren't heading home just yet.

Jason told him to pull over at an antique store, and the two Bennetts hopped out and rushed inside, eagerly looking through the Christmas ornaments. Jason had a list Sharpay had given him on what to buy, but that laid forgotten as soon as they stepped inside. Troy was asked for advice, whether it be tinsel or glitter, candy canes or gingerbread men, etc… Jason went ahead and paid for the decorations and allowed Troy to help Tom decide between a star or an angel.

"Well, which do you like?" Troy asked Tom as he lifted him up to see the top two Christmas trees. Tom furrowed his brows, leaning over to pick at the branch full of decorations. He smiled at the angel figurine, touching its face fondly and lightly brushing his fingers along its wings, but he sighed and instead reached out and pulled the star down.

It wasn't a golden star, but a silver one. Tom held it close to his body, as if it were a precious kitten or puppy.

"I like the star," he said. "Because the star's just like Papa's badge." Troy smiled approvingly, and he allowed Tom to run back to the counter to give to Jason to pay for.

By the time the boys got home, it was almost 5 o'clock. The adults were just about ready to collapse, but the little one was still bursting with energy and wanted to decorate the new tree. Jason and Troy had taken refuge on the sofa next to the tree.

"Yes, yes," Jason said, trying to calm his son down. He leaned back on his seat, emitting a long sigh. "We'll do it as soon as your mother gets home." Tom stuck out his lip in a pout.

"But Mommy's not going to be home until—"

"When's Mommy's not going to be home?" came a horribly familiar voice from the door. Jason sighed frustratedly and closed his eyes.

"Mommy!" Tom said happily. Sharpay stepped into the house, throwing her purse to the side and scooping Tom up in her arms. Jason and Troy both groaned.

"Oh, for God's sake," Jason mumbled, crossing his arms in a sulk. "You only ever pop up when I _don't _want you to." Sharpay went over and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

"I could say the same to you," she laughed. She gave Troy a wink. "Hey, Troy." He just nodded in acknowledgment. Sharpay took off her coat, turning back around to face Tom. She kneeled down to him.

"Now," she began, brushing Tom's blonde hair out of his face. "I want you to go upstairs and put away your things, and when you get back down we can all decorate the tree together." She touched the tip of his nose with her finger. "Okay?" Tom beamed and nodded.

"Okay," he replied. Sharpay smiled and kissed him. She watched him run off and disappear up the stairs before turning back to the other two. She rolled up her sleeves and placed her hands on her hips.

"Oh, come on," she said as they groaned again. "Don't be so pathetic, you know how much a kid loves to do these things with his parents." Troy smiled.

"Amen to that," he said under his breath. He was about to get up but Jason grabbed his arm and pulled him back down. He shook his head.

"Not so fast!" he said abruptly. "You're not going anywhere." Troy stared at him in disbelief, then over at Sharpay for help. She seemed to be thinking the same thing as Jason.

"Just stay for dinner, Troy," she said softly. "Tom really likes it when you're around." When she saw this wasn't enough to convince Troy, she quietly added: "We're having turkey."

So it began. Troy stayed and helped out for the rest of the night. While Sharpay was busy preparing dinner in the kitchen, he and Jason were in charge of the Christmas tree, and Tom made sure they covered every little bit of green with foil or glitter. They hung up their stockings over the fireplace, and Jason took out the lights from the attic and attempted unsuccessfully to hang them up as well in the house.

The hours passed, everything outside grew dark and the Christmas lights shone brightly from the other houses, the smell of Sharpay's cooking passing slowly from the kitchen into the room with three hungry boys. Sharpay finally emerged from the kitchen, her apron on and her hair pegged up in a bun.

"The turkey will be ready in ten minutes," she announced, taking off the apron. She looked over at her husband. "Jason will set the table." Jason pretended to be insulted.

"Set the table?" he repeated incredulously, looking down at Tom. "But Papa can't set the table yet." Tom glanced at Sharpay and shook his head as well. Sharpay quirked an eyebrow. She placed her hands on her hips again and stepped forward. Troy sat and watched with an amused expression.

"Why not?" Sharpay asked, also looking at Tom. The little boy held up the star ornament to her.

"We can't get on top of the tree," he said, pointing. "It's too high." Troy, Jason and Sharpay all followed his gaze. Troy shrugged.

"He's right, you know," he remarked, shaking his head. "8 feet tall." Sharpay shot him a glare. She bent down and picked Tom up, going over to the tree and holding him up so he could reach for the top. The only problem was… a petite blonde holding up a five-year-old didn't quite measure up to 8 feet.

Jason suppressed a laugh, and instead he leapt out of his seat and grabbed Sharpay's legs, lifting her up even further. Sharpay screamed but Tom giggled.

"Jason!" Sharpay shouted. She couldn't help but laugh as well, gripping onto Tom tightly. "Let me down!" Tom reached out to the tree, almost placing the star on the top when the human ladder swerved away. He sighed, disappointed, and looked down at his parents.

"A little closer!" he squeaked. Troy got up and held the tree still so it would be easier.

"A little faster too, guys," he urged. Jason firmly held Sharpay up, who held Tom up, who held the star up, and at last placed it precisely on top of the tree. As he let go and smiled with satisfaction, Jason slipped back and the entire human ladder collapsed onto the sofa behind them in fits of laughter. Troy heaved a sigh of relief. Sharpay was the first to recover, clearing her throat loudly and getting up. She glanced down at Jason and Tom.

"Okay, boys," she said sternly. "No more fooling around. It's dinnertime."

Sharpay wasn't in that much of a strict mood anymore, so everybody helped out setting the table that night. Troy took out a fresh table sheet as Jason laid out the utensils and plates. Tom was in charge of the napkins, and Sharpay carried out the main entrée. It was very big, as if she knew Troy was going to stay anyway. They all sat around the table; Troy next to Jason, next to Tom, next to Sharpay, next to Troy.

Troy and Jason talked for most of the night. They talked about sport, the talked about the places they'd both love to go to one day, they talked about women (while Sharpay was in the kitchen, of course), and they talked about the Jason Troy knew back home, about Troy's naivety that all guys with the same name were exactly the same. Sharpay told stories of when she and Troy were in school, some Jason found extremely entertaining while Troy found to be downright humiliating.

"Remember that time at Christmas in the third grade?" Sharpay said slyly, looking at Troy. "When I told you the lamp pole was made of candy?" Troy laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Yes," he said, grimly taking a sip of his beer. "And I ended up getting my tongue stuck to the pole." Jason roared with laughter. Troy wiped his mouth with the napkin and shook his finger at Tom. "Just make sure a girl never talks you into doing that, Tom." The little boy nodded, as if completely understanding everything Troy had just said.

Tom suddenly placed his overly-large spoon down and yawned, rubbing his eyes. Sharpay glanced at the clock, taking the napkin down from around Tom's neck.

"Gosh, look at the time," she said, getting up. She helped him down from his chair. "Almost 8 o'clock and you've got school tomorrow." She wrapped her arms around him and lifted him up. Tom snuggled against Sharpay's shoulder, his arms around her neck and looking very sleepy. Sharpay placed her hand at the back of his head.

"Say goodnight to Uncle Troy," she commanded. Tom opened his eyes just a little bit.

"Goodnight, Uncle Troy," he mumbled. Troy smiled.

"Goodnight," he replied. Tom closed his eyes again and buried his face under his mother's blonde hair. Sharpay gave Jason a look that only he understood, and she made her way upstairs with the child. Troy leaned back on his chair as he watched them disappear.

"She's doing well as a mother," he commented. Jason nodded in agreement.

"Alot better than when we first had Tom," he said proudly. He shook his head. "She was always tearing her hair out because she couldn't get him to stop crying." Troy chuckled. He leaned onto the table, staring at his friend with a curious look.

"So, how did you two meet, anyway?" he asked. Jason sipped his drink.

"Well," he began, shrugging his shoulders. "It was about eight years ago." He grinned. "The troops were back for a few days, so we were allowed to roam through New York and steal a few hearts." Troy felt a grin creep onto his lips.

"And you stole hers?" he asked, even though it was obvious. Jason laughed and stared up at the ceiling.

"Yep," he sighed. "And Laura's always going on about how romantic that is."

"And cliché," Troy added. Jason laughed again. He turned his attention back to Troy.

"What about you?" he asked. "Got a girl back home?" Troy himself took a sip of his bottle.

"Not really," he admitted. Jason narrowed his eyes, leaning back.

"Well, Laura said she only ever knew you to have one," he said. He touched his chin thoughtfully. "What was the name again? Uh… Daniella?" Troy burst out laughing, almost choking on his drink.

"You mean _Gabriella_?" he exclaimed. Troy examined the bottle's contents, and he shook his head. "No, we broke up twelve years ago, after high school."

"So, was there another girl after that?" Jason asked. Troy shrugged.

"I only had a few girlfriends over the years," he muttered. "Just a few, but there was only another one who has an interesting story with it." He set the bottle back down on the table and smiled kind of plaintively. "It's kinda complicated." Jason crossed his arms and smirked.

"Oh, now you've got me interested." He laughed, but then relented when he saw Troy seemed a little sad, even though he was still smiling. "But if it's hard to think about it—" Troy shook his head and laughed softly again.

"No," he said, still shaking his head. "No, it's not hard, it's just really…" He struggled to think of a word to describe it. Jason cocked an eyebrow.

"… Complicated?" he suggested. Troy smiled and nodded. He started fiddling with the table spread.

"It's a long story," he muttered. Jason took another sip of beer. He leaned onto the table, crossing his arms.

"Well, it's my house," he said brightly. "So I'm not going anywhere." Troy sighed, knowing there was no use arguing.

He racked through his memory, pulling out the sugar-coated moments he had so long ago with a girl. A simple girl.

"Her name was Patricia," he said ruefully, staring out into space. "I met her when I was working in Germany. She was a pianist at this bar where a politician I was supposed to interview always went to." Troy laughed. "I guess she wasn't supposed to be part of the job." Jason smiled, knowing all too well what he meant. Troy sighed again.

"Well," he continued. "After I saw her the first time, I made sure to see her every chance I could. You see, she had this other hobby on the side of playing the piano." He grinned. "She'd do sketches, like just simple ones with a pen and a notepad. So one day, I plucked up the courage and asked her to sketch me, just so I could see her up close."

"Was she just as beautiful up close?" Jason asked. Troy smiled and stared dreamily into space.

"Small breasts… curved hip…" he muttered. "Dark eye… full lips…" He looked down at his hands, circling them around each other. "Small hands… long arms…" He placed his hands over his heart, collapsing backwards. "Touch me… I'm gone." Jason whistled, placing his hand on his forehead.

"Wow," was all he managed to say. "Must've been one helluva a woman." Troy nodded, but he was back in reality now.

"She was, yeah," he said. "And I was her fool." He sighed wearily. "But, you know… things got rocky. She was a free spirit, too much for me to handle. I felt like… she was making her own cage when she was with me, and there were times when she wanted out." Troy shrugged and took another swig. "And she broke out, and that was it. She's gone back home to Germany." Jason gave him a sympathetic look, patting him on the shoulder.

"Sorry, Troy," he said sadly. Troy sighed and drained his bottle.

"Well, that's over and done with," he said, shrugging. "It's no big deal anymore, it's not the end of the world." Jason laughed.

"Yeah," he said. "There are more women out there. You never know." He shrugged, setting down his bottle for the last time. He gave Troy a nudge with his elbow. "The love of your life might be right in front of you."

Sharpay finally came down from upstairs. She was wearing a white sweater and her short hair was down again. She looked meaningfully at Jason.

"He says he wants you to tuck him in," she said very quietly. Jason gave her a nod and stood up from the table. Troy stood up as well.

"I better be heading home as well," he said, stretching his arms above him. "I still have an article I need to write." Jason gave him a high-five, then low-five, then tucked his fingers, then punched their fists together and finished with a handshake.

"I'll see you later, Troy," Jason said. He shot Sharpay a quick glance and he headed upstairs. Sharpay led Troy towards the front door.

"Great turkey tonight," Troy said with a smile. Sharpay smirked and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Tomorrow's pork chop night," she told him. "So, if you're hungry…" Troy laughed and stepped outside.

"I know," he said softly. Sharpay nodded, handing him his coat.

"Goodnight," she said.

"Goodnight, Sharpay," he replied. Troy wrapped himself up in his warm clothes and jogged over to the house next door. Only when she was sure he was safe inside his own house did Sharpay close the door and step inside. She took a key out of her pocket and locked the door, then placing it on the table beside her. She frowned as a small pile of letters caught of her attention. Picking them up, she flicked through them.

Bill, bill, ad, bill, ad, ad… she stopped at the last one. Carefully examining the envelop, her frown deepened, and a rush of worry suddenly flooding through her. She knew she couldn't open it; it wasn't to her. Emitting a sigh, Sharpay marched upstairs to Tom's room, the letter still clutched in her hand.

"Will you sing me my bedtime song, please Papa?" Tom's voice said. Sharpay stopped at the door, leaning onto the frame as she saw Jason sitting at the bed as Tom laid, all tucked in. Jason let out a soft laugh that made Sharpay smile. She crossed her arms as she watched. Jason started singing a soft lullaby as he fixed Tom's blanket.

_When you wish upon a star  
Makes no difference who you are  
Anything your heart desires  
Will come to you_

Tom began to look sleepy, trying his best to keep his eyes open. Sharpay smiled to herself.

_If your heart is in your dream  
No request is too extreme  
When you wish upon a star  
As dreamers do_

_Fate is kind  
She brings to those to love  
The sweet fulfillment of  
Their secret longing_

_Like a boat out of the blue  
Fate steps in and sees you through  
When you wish upon a star  
Your dreams come true…_

Jason ran his hand through Tom's hair, giving the sleeping child a kiss on the top of his head.

"I love you, son," he whispered. Tom groaned and shifted in his sleep, cuddling a pillow next to him. Very carefully, Jason stood up and tiptoed to the door where Sharpay was. She stood aside as he flicked off the light and quietly closed the door, leaving a small gap and a streak of light into the room. The parents silently retreated downstairs again.

"We raised a good kid," Jason said proudly. Sharpay didn't answer. She walked into the dark lounge room, hugging herself. Jason frowned.

"Honey, what's wrong?" he asked. He followed her into the room. Sharpay sighed deeply and held out the letter.

"This came for you today," she told him. Jason took the letter, giving her a confused glance before looking down at the letter.

_Lt. Colonel J.M. Bennett_

"It's from the Army," Sharpay muttered, sitting down on the sofa. Jason torn the envelop open and hastily unfolded it. His eyes darted from side to side as they scanned the letter. Sharpay remained calm, waiting patiently for him to read all of it.

"What do they want?" she asked. Jason didn't take his eyes off the letter, walking around in front of her. His expression grew more and more ominous.

"They're assigning me to lead the new troops," he murmured. Sharpay stood and went over to look at it over his shoulder for herself. She let out a mirthless laugh.

"And they want you to leave next week," she said rather impassively. She turned away, a mocking amused expression on her face. "Isn't that just so wonderful?" Jason sighed and looked up from the letter as Sharpay walked back to her spot. She kept her back to him.

"Laura…" he began. Sharpay spun around, suddenly looking angry.

"You're not going back there," she said in a dangerous voice. She shook her head. "You are _not _going back there!" Jason opened his mouth to protest, but Sharpay wouldn't let him.

"They are not taking you away for another Christmas!" she yelled angrily. "I won't let them!"

"Laura, please," Jason pleaded. "You have to understand…"

"Understand?" she repeated, scoffing. "They're sending you back to the front line in Iraq for Christmas, that's what I understand." She turned away again to hide her tears.

Every single time a letter like this came, saying that it was going to take her husband away again for who knows how many months, Sharpay had promised herself she wouldn't cry yet again. She was beginning to hate the Army, hating them in ways she knew they didn't deserve. It just felt… like one of these days, hatred might be the only feeling she had towards them. She closed her eyes as she felt Jason's warm arms wrap themselves around her from behind.

"They need me out there, Laura," he whispered in her ear. Sharpay let out a soft sob.

"I know," she muttered. She released herself from his embrace and turned around to face him. She placed her hands on Jason's chest, fixing up his shirt. "I just wish…" Her hands slowed down, she began to cry very quietly. "I just wish it didn't have to be now." Jason grabbed her wrists and gently pulled them back down. He pulled her into a warm hug.

"I'm sorry," he said sadly. Sharpay hugged him back, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. The sound of both tumbled out of her mouth.

"What are we going to do?" she asked tearfully. "What are we going to tell Tom?"

Jason said nothing.

They just continued to stand there in the dark, just holding each other, not knowing what to do next.

* * *

**Just to let you know, Troy's ex-girlfriend is just a filler for the chapter so I wouldn't look like an amateur. She's just someone I invented when I was listening to James Marsters' 'Patricia', and she won't be appearing in the story or anything. (SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE: GO DOWNLOAD THIS SONG!!) **

**I also wanted to create alot of conversation between Troy and Jason, so you can come to like their friendship. **

**The chapters for Winter, Spring and Summer are going to be quite long, because I want them to be shorter and to the point and not drag on like Autumn does. I don't think I have the strength to do that.**

**Next: The Bennetts celebrate an early Christmas… **


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